I wonder how many times I’ve been asked that question? How many times have you been asked it?

After some mental ruminations, it seems impossible to count the occasions I’ve been asked it. It’s impossible, because well, how does one count the impossible?

Yet we all get asked it many times, and we just respond according to wherever we are located or seeking. For instance…

I entered my favorite coffee shop, and the barista greeted me with, guess what? I ordered my dark cup of java, found my comfy chair and relaxed with a delicious coffee in a comfortable setting.

The preceding paragraph tells you what’ll it be for me. I want my coffee black, in my favorite venue while sitting in my comfy chair. I can sit there with or without company, and there’s no difference in my enjoyment.

That brings to mind a wine task I began a few weeks ago.

Lately there’s a lot interest in serving nonalcoholic beverages, and the wine industry is deeply into it. I had never tasted a wine without alcohol — except for plain old grape juice and is that really wine?

I journeyed to the local wine store to seek some nonalcoholic wines. There was a very small shelf with about half a dozen such wines, and I bought three of them. Strictly for scientific research, of course! Then I purchased an alcoholic wine featuring the same grape variety. I’ll focus on the merlot wines.

The alcohol-removed wine I got was a Fre Merlot. Looking at the back label, I noticed a few interesting items. First, the wine contains less that 0.5% alcohol, and 19% of the liquid was grape juice. Also, the back label contained a full nutritional table showing the amount of sugars, carbohydrates and salt in the beverage. Interesting…

I wondered how the alcohol is removed from the traditionally made wine. Interestingly enough, when the fermentation process is completed, the wine goes through a vacuum distillation process that heats up the wine and allows the alcohol to evaporate. OK got it. But let’s taste it.

The bottle was room temperature. I poured and sipped. To my mind, I was drinking … wait for it … grape juice! It was quite sweet and I can’t say it was that enjoyable. Then I wondered what it would taste like if it was cooled a bit. I left it in the refrigerator overnight, took the bottle out and let it sit unopened for about 45 minutes.

It tasted much better and I liked it.

Let’s not forget this was scientific research. I opened my bottle of Ménage à Trois Lavish Merlot, poured it and sipped. When someone tells you the difference between two things is like night and day, you know what that means, right? That was the difference between these two wines. The Lavish Merlot had a luscious medium body to it and provided all the necessary berry and mocha tastes you expect from a nice Merlot.

What’ll it be in this example? I’ll take the Lavish Merlot over the alcohol-removed wine. However, there are two more taste pairings to do, and let’s not forget that wine tastes are extremely personal. If someone cannot consume a regular wine for some reason, the alcohol-free rendition gives them a chance to enjoy along with everyone else.

I challenge you to do some comparison tastings, too. Try a cocktail made with alcohol free whiskey. Go for an alcohol free beer.

What’ll it be? That’s up to you — just enjoy your favorite beverage.

As always, eat and drink in moderation but laugh with reckless abandon!

Cheers!